Warmup & Stretching
Two minutes that make a difference.
A warm-up prepares your body for the work ahead. A cool-down and stretch help it recover after. Neither takes long, and both are worth the habit.
Warm-up
A good warm-up takes 1-2 minutes, 3 at most. It should be dynamic - active movements like hops, rotations, and chest expansions that raise your heart rate and increase blood flow to the muscles you're about to use.
In cold weather, your body prioritises keeping your core warm over your extremities, so give yourself a little more time. In summer, muscles loosen faster.
Warm-ups matter more than stretching for injury prevention. Don't skip them.
Cool-down
Cool-downs mark the end of a session and help your body return to its normal pace - lowering heart rate gradually and reducing muscle stiffness. It can be a gentle walk, light yoga, or a few minutes of easy movement.
This is also the best time to stretch. Your muscles are fully warmed up, making them more pliable and able to hold deeper stretches. Stretching cold muscles is far less effective and more uncomfortable.
A warm-up should engage the same muscles you'll be using. Here's what that looks like for different activities:
Running
Start with a light jog to warm up your legs before picking up pace.
Martial Arts
A few light kicks and punches to get the relevant muscles primed and moving.
Bodyweight
Basic neck, arm, torso, and leg rotations to loosen up the whole body.
Weightlifting
A few reps with very light weights before moving to your working weight.
DAREBEE Workouts
Use your first circuit set as the warm-up - move slower and with less intensity than you plan to.
Everyone can improve their flexibility with consistent effort. Stretching after a workout is the ideal time - your muscles are relaxed and fully warmed up, which allows for a deeper stretch and greater gains in flexibility over time.
Well-stretched muscles improve your range of motion and reduce injury risk. For any kind of training, tight muscles create resistance and waste energy. Releasing that tension through stretching makes movement more efficient.
Skipping stretching occasionally won't cause major issues, but it's a good habit to build. Browse all DAREBEE stretching routines on the Workouts - Stretching →
Not sure where to start? Use one of these:
Still have questions?
The DAREBEE Help Desk on the community forum is the best place to ask. The team answers questions there, and chances are someone has already asked the same thing.
